Saturday, November 28, 2009

UN CLIMATE SUMMIT IN COPENHAGEN 2009

THE GOAL
  • A post 2012 accord to drastically cut emissions of green house gases (GHGs) by 2050.

THE BOTTOM LINE

  • Scientists say industrialised countries should cut GHG emissions by 25-40% by 2020 to help limit global warming to 2C (3.6F) - a crucial tipping point - rising to 80-95% by 2050.

EMISSIONS CUTS

  • Who will cut and by how much ? Industrialised countries are mainly responsible for today's warming. Emerging giants (China, India, Brazil) are becoming major polluters.
  • How can the required cuts be achieved ? Effective carbon trading ? Reafforestation ? Clean technology ? Energy savings ?

AID

  • Poor countries need financial and technical aid to switch to a low carbon economy and adapt to disrupted weather patterns. Who will pay ? How much is needed ? Which institutions will manage this funds ?

Source - New Sabah Times

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

CODE-COMPLIANT

  • Palm oil players embrace recommended procedures throughout the production chain to gain universal acceptance.
  • The code of practice (COP) introduced by Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) last year is set to enhance the reputation of Malaysian palm oil in meeting the demands of an increasingly health and environment conscious market.
  • The COP which is voluntary at the moment, will assist the industry in the sustainable production of palm oil and help it develope trade and market accessibility internationally.
  • The code covers the entire oil palm cycle and includes the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and Smallholdings, Code of Manufacturing Practices for Palm Oil Mill, Code of Good Refining Practice for Palm Oil Refineries, Code of Good Practice for Palm Kernel Crushers, and Code of Good Practice for Storage and Transport of Processed Palm and Palm Kernel Oil in Bulk.
  • The elements in the COP cover basically the main standard operating procedures of the process from the nursery to the bulking installation and transport.
  • The important requirements are food safety, quality and sustainability.

Source - Malaysian Business

CDM STATUS IN MALAYSIA

  • Number of applications successfully registered with CDM Executive Board as at first quarter of 2009 is 34.
  • Project issued with carbon emission reduction certificates (CER) is 5 valued at USD 5 t-1 amounting to 648 718 t CO is RM 12.3 million.

The 5 projects are ;

  1. Lahad Datu Edible Oil biomass steam and power plant.
  2. Sandakan Edible Oil biomass steam and power plant.
  3. Felda Sahabat empty fruit bunch biomass energy project.
  4. Replacement of fossil fuel by palm kernel shell for the production of Portland Cement.
  5. Biomass energy project, Lumut

Source - Palm Oil Engineering Bulletin / Pusat Tenaga Malaysia

Sunday, November 15, 2009

MINDING PALM OIL'S THREE " Ps "

  • " In this industry, minding the triple bottom line, which take stock of the needs of people, the health of the planet and earning profits, is paramount. We need to keep track of the ever-changing battlescape as our very success attracts plenty of interest from friends and foe alike, " he says. - MPOB Chairman Datuk Basri Ahmad.
  • An environment impact assessment (EIA) is required for land to be developed for growing palm oil that is more than 50 hectares.
  • The Government has set aside RM20 million in establishing a Wildlife Conservation Fund that, among others, will be spent to ensure protection of the wildlife including the orang utan.
  • Globally, at 8.5 million hectares, oil palm has the lowest land use compared with over 58 million hectares given over for soya bean.
  • Oil palm commands a yield of almost 10 times that of soyabean, 6.9 times of sunflower seed and 6.3 times rapeseed. Without doubt, hectare for hectare, oil palm is the most efficient crop.
  • The Environmental Quality Act 1974 governs the discharge into water courses, making it mandatory for all palm oil mills to treat waste water on site to an acceptable level before discharge.
  • The Environmental Quality (Clean Air Regulations) Act 1978 legislates against open burning.
  • As far as the European Union is concerned, we have undertaken the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) initiative as well as the MPOB Codes of Practice (COP) which address environmental and food health concerns.

Source - Malaysian Business

Saturday, November 14, 2009

FAREWELL DINNER FOR TUAN HAJI OMAR HASSAN

06 November 2009 @ Ocean King Sandakan - Selamat berpindah ke Johor kepada Tuan Haji Omar Hassan. Good luck, May Allah Bless You.

Friday, November 6, 2009

IMPORTANCE OF THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY

  • Total area under oil palms = 4.48 million ha or 13.1% of total land area or 67% of agricultural area.
  • 41% of world's palm oil production and 47% of world's exports. Malaysia is No.2 in production and No.1 in exports.
  • 11% of world's total oils and fats production and 27% of world's oils world's oils and fats exports.
  • Provides direct employment to 570,000 people, excluding other multiplying effects and spin-off activities.
  • Oil palm occupies 4.48 million ha or less than 2% of total area (233 mil) under global oilseed cultivation or 0.09% of world total agriculture areas.
  • NGO claim palm oil cause deforestation and global warming BUT what about 99.91% of agricultural land in other countries that was formerly mostly forest land ?
  • Significant foreign exchange earner - RM 65.2 billion in 2008.
  • Oil palm is the backbone of country's development and political stability.
  • Malaysian palm oil is consumed in over 150 countries worldwide. Latest trend in Friends of Earth (FoE) headlines - "Palm Oil Plantations not helping anyone". The NGO must be getting desperate to issue such negative statements.

Source - Trends and Potentials of Malaysia's Plantation Sector / Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron / MPOC